Rumpel's Love Song
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: Her love makes him want to sing. Het. SPOILERS!


Title: "Rumpel's Love Song"  
Author: Kat Lee  
Rating: G/K  
Summary: Her love makes him want to sing.  
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, names, codenames, places, items, fandoms, titles, and etc. are always © & TM their respective owners, not the author, and are used without permission. Any and all original characters and everything else is © & TM the author and may not be reproduced in any way without the author's express, written permission. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Climbing the stairs to the hospital in the crisp, early morning air, Rumpelstiltskin is suddenly reminded of another staircase, another time, and another place. He sees again his beloved when she had first been adorned in a new and billowing dress made of the finest silk, a dress he had commissioned when he had commanded her to accompany him to a royal ball, supposedly so that he would not have to be seen, yet again, alone. In truth, he had only wanted to hold her and know what it would be like to dance with such a fair creature.

Standing there at the hospital steps, cane in hand, Rumpelstiltskin again feels the way his breath had stopped and heart had raced upon that lovely sight. Up until that point in his life, he had always thought that such things being caused by just looking upon something beautiful was a myth, but he had learned then, first hand, how love really does affect the heart. A tremulous smile passes over his lips, and Rumpelstiltskin hurries his steps.

He rushes to his love's room and once more experiences those uncanny happenings, his heart racing and breath catching. He leans on his cane more for support to keep from exclaiming of the way she makes him feel than for any other reason. He has the cane to help his crippled leg, but in her presence, he again feels strong - and weak, too, at the same time. It's a bizarre feeling. It's a wonderful feeling.

Her eyes met his the moment he opened her door, and now Rumpel feels himself almost unable to move. He can't help but to stare at her, as he almost did the first time he noticed the treasure that she is hiding amongst the common folk. Even upon their first meeting, she had not feared him, not like the rest of her kind, who feared and hated him because he possessed power, and magic, that they did not.

She smiles, and he swears he can hear a bird singing outside her window. She shuts her book, a copy of her favorite book which he had given her, stands, and actually walks toward him. It is then that he realizes that she is not screaming. For the first time since she lost her memory, his love is smiling upon him, and there is no terror in her face, eyes, or voice! He feels like shouting then but smiles broadly instead.

Her shyness returns when she's almost arrived where she belongs, at his side. "You said you were dying?" she asks quietly.

He performs a bow just for her, his arms weaving a flourish of circles in the air before him. "I got better." He watches her eyes, even as his head lowers, to judge her reaction. Dare he hope that she is truly as happy to see him as she appears?

Her smile broadens; his heart jumps. "I'm glad."

Straightening, he queries with a sly grin, "If I may say so, my dear Belle, you do not seem surprised by my recovery?"

Again, it's a first since the wreck, a first that he's prayed for while never really expecting his prayers to be answered (after all, Demons don't usually get their wishes, let alone prayers, granted without a great deal of bloodshed), as she doesn't correct him on her name. "I admit," she says instead with a cute blush tingeing her cheeks, "that I would not quiet after our phone call. I asked the nurses and doctors every day if they had seen or heard from you until Mother Superior assured me you were quite alive."

"I am . . . " He gazes into her eyes, considering telling her he's surprised that she cares but instead opts for the truth as he wants no more lies between them or no more secrets that can return to harm her. " . . . grateful that you care."

"I do," she says so quickly that he knows she must be allowing her heart to finally speak, "and I want to know more about this woman who I was."

His grin lights his face, making his thin, dark skin seem to dazzle to her brown eyes. He reaches out, hooking his cane in the crook of his arm, and takes her small, delicate hands in his stronger and larger hands. His hands have killed while hers have never known blood, except for the times that she tended to him. He trembles inside with delightful thrills when she doesn't pull away or look astonished, angry, or fearful that he dares to touch her again. "You can do more than know how that woman was, Belle. You can be that woman again."

"I - " Her voice trembles, and she looks doubtful for the first time this morning. "I don't know if I can."

Before she can pull away, he squeezes her hands in a light and reassuring touch. He's only ever touched two people as he touches her now after becoming the Dark One. Belle is one; the other is his son who, praise be to whatever power moved his boy's heart, still wants him despite his angry words and refusal, at first, to let him into his heart. Rumpel's lips twist wryly for a moment into an almost smirk as he considers that there are some good things about coming so close to death, after all.

Belle looks at him strangely, and he vanishes the look, replacing it with the sincerity of the words he has to force from his lips. "You don't have to be her if you don't want to be," he assures her, though it pains him to do so. He wants his beloved Belle back with everything in him, but he's come to realize that she has to want to return to him, and to the life they'd almost shared, first. "You can be whatever you want to be, but it will be my honor, my dear, to tell you everything you wish to know about the woman you were, about the _hero_ you were and can be again."

She practically glows; he smiles, knowing he's done the right thing and finally feeling somewhat good about it again. He senses, rather than sees, a nurse approaching and calls to her, "Nurse, tell the doctor Miss Belle is being released today." The nurse, knowing full and well who he is and of what he is capable, drops her clipboard and hurries away without attempting to retrieve it. He watches her with amusement from the corner of his eyes for a second but then returns his full attention to his lady love as her eyes shimmer with amazement.

"That's all it's going to take to get out of here?"

He giggles. She's already making him feel so good, just by her acceptance and her allowance for him to touch her again, that he doesn't try to stop the merry laughter from bubbling out of him until he notices the sound still makes her a little uncomfortable. He hushes then immediately and tells her with all honesty, "Dearie, you'll find there's little I can not do."

Her lips quiver, but then she boldly meets his questing gaze again and smiles. Very soon, they're walking out of the hospital with her petite arm tucked demurely into his. Rumpel's so joyful that he's skipping and humming a song she used to sing, a tune in which even now he hears her trying to join him. "It's one you used to sing," he tells her.

"It is?" she queries. He nods with a smile. "Sing me the words," she pleads, "please."

He opens his mouth and sings for her. People on the streets outside stop and stare, but he doesn't bother to fix them with his infamous glare meant to warn them of their own deaths. He keeps singing instead, not caring who looks at him. He sings the song to its completion once, and then on the second time around, she joins him.

He's still skipping and singing as they approach Granny's. The old woman's soon to be late on her rent again, but he won't bother her about it today. He won't bother anybody today, if the world will only leave him and his Belle alone. His heart sings. The birds in the trees sing; he'll let them live for it's a beautiful day. He's got his love on his arm, and very soon, very, very soon though it could never be soon enough, he'll have his cherished Belle back completely where she belongs - with him, knowing and being who she is meant to be, the fairest creature he's ever seen, the bravest and kindest woman he's ever known, his gentlest friend, his only loyal confidante, the very, and sole, love of his life. Rumpel sings.

**The End**


End file.
